


There For it All

by shewasjustagirl



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Amnesia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Tropetastic Tuesday, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 05:58:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10984803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewasjustagirl/pseuds/shewasjustagirl
Summary: Rhett's in the hospital with amnesia, and the doctors think Link can help.





	There For it All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tropetastic Tuesday 11: Amnesia - up to 5000 words. 
> 
> I expanded on my story from Tropetastic Tuesday 2: Hurt/Comfort in 200 words, which happened to be about Rhett having amnesia. The original is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10297973).

“Mr. Neal,” the older of the doctors looked back and forth between Link and Jessie, who wore matching terrified expressions. “We’d like you to try talking to him again. But there are some things you should know.”

Jessie stood between Link and Christy, the three of them holding hands before the two men in white coats. The other doctor, who appeared to be a few years younger than the Neals and McLaughlins, continued. “Rhett’s temperament seems to be improving, but he is still missing much of his long term memory. We don’t believe he remembers much of his life after about 1998. I’m afraid he, well, he still asks a lot of questions after your visits, Mrs. McLaughlin.”

Christy clung tightly to Jessie as she nodded, blew her bright red nose, and wiped for what must have been the hundredth time today at her tear-streaked cheeks. She had been able to tell, for days, that Rhett couldn’t place her face. 

“Rhett is also having a difficult time making new memories. At intervals somewhere between three and twelve hours, he asks the same set of questions about how he got here,” the younger doctor said. “Frankly, it’s profoundly disturbing to amnesia patients to be reminded of what they don’t know. What that means for Rhett is his heart rate hasn’t settled much in the last week. We think it would be relaxing for him to speak with you, Mr. Neal, because you’ve been friends for so long.”

“He may take a moment to adjust to your appearance, though,” the older man chimed in again, a hint of a smile in his voice. “He’s asked to look in a mirror after each time you’ve spoken with him.”

“What should I say? What’s... safe?”

The doctor smiled kindly. “Just tell him about growing up together. That’s what he knows. It should be reassuring.”

Link nodded and turned to Jessie and Christy, releasing Jessie’s hand to place one of his own on each of their backs. “What do you think?”

The Neals both focused their eyes on Jessie. Rhett’s memory loss had erased her from his mind, along with the life she had built with him, at least temporarily. Since his accident, Rhett had become upset every time he learned of this new life. Last week, he had broken down into a crying fit at the mention of their children, becoming so emotional the doctors asked both families not to visit for at least 24 hours. 

But as painful as it was for her to believe she wasn’t who he needed right now, she would never have denied Rhett the opportunity for some relief, for some peace, and, hopefully, for healing. And, anyway, she could never have denied Link the chance to give it a try. 

His brow was knitted in concern as he stared down at her, and it was clear only a portion of that concern was for her feelings. She had seen Link when a doctor told him his daughter would have to be born via c-section. She had seen Link shake hands with his father-in-law on his and Christy’s wedding day. She had seen Link the day he and Rhett left North Carolina for good. She’d been there. But she had never seen Link look this scared.

“Link, honey,” she finally managed, as Christy offered her another steeling squeeze. “If there’s something you can do to help him, I want you to do it. You tell him all those stupid old stories you two love so much if you have to.”

“I will,” Link choked. “I’ll try.”

Tears built in his eyes and threatened to slide down his cheeks. Jessie grabbed his forearm and held on tight. “Now don’t you cry, Neal. We all need you to be strong in there.” Link huffed out a laugh at Jessie’s use of his last name as she reached up to wipe away one of the escaped droplets. 

“Rhett calls me that when he’s trying to get me pumped up.” The words caught in his throat and the tears were coming faster than she could catch them now. Both women rushed forward to hold Link tight, Jessie crying into his chest as Christy kissed his cheeks and held them both, seeking to transfer all of her remaining strength into the two bodies in her arms. 

“I’m sorry, Jessie. I’ll try to hold it together, I promise. I’m just so… I’m just so scared.”

Link felt Jessie mumble the words into his chest. “I know. I know, honey. But he needs you right now, Link. Our man needs you.”

 

After he’d washed his face and settled his quivering lungs as much as he could, Link entered Rhett’s room. 

 

The walls were an eggshell beige, brightened in his vision by fluorescent lights. There were machines and IVs, and Link could only say what about half of them were doing for his friend. Rhett looked up from fiddling with his hands, his body half-reclined, and smiled at Link as he walked in the room.

Link would never get over the image of Rhett in a hospital bed, this tall, goofy, larger-than-life man looking small.

“Hey buddy. How ya feelin’?”

“Better now,” Rhett grinned. “But ya know, head hurts. A little confused. And you look old.”

Link chuckled and raised his eyebrows in Rhett’s direction. “Yeah, well guess what?”

Rhett laughed, the mirthful sound a blessing in Link’s ears, washing over him like a cleansing rain, giving him the strength to move closer to the bed, and he laughed, too. 

Link perched himself on a stool at Rhett’s left as they quieted, and the two men sat looking at each other. 

“Your doctor told me you’ve gotten a little vain. Always wantin’ to look in a mirror.”

“How can I help myself? Do you see how awesome my beard is?”

Link laughed again, squeezing Rhett’s forearm. This was his Rhett. He was hurt and he’d forgotten so much, and he may never be quite the same, but this was him.

“Yeah, man, it’s pretty great. Covers up the fact that you were born without a chin, too.” 

“Hey, I never heard you complainin’!” 

Link shook his head, grinning broadly. “Nah, I wouldn’t. But I do like the beard. You have sort of cornered the market on growing one, though.”

Link regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Rhett being the bearded one was new to him. Their business was new. Link was supposed to be there to reminisce.

“Hey. You remember how hard you tried to grow a beard in high school?”

“Yeah, I remember. I also remember that just because you could grow one didn’t mean you should.”

“Oh, that’s wrong.”

“No, it’s so right.” Rhett laughed, smiling fondly at the grown man who had replaced his friend. “That goatee was something else. I can’t believe our mommas let us bleach our hair, either. Do you ever think about that?”

“Yeah, I think we told my mom that we’d already asked yours and vice versa,” Link rolled his eyes at himself. “They let us get away with anything as long as we were together, didn’t they?”

 

For nearly an hour, the men reminisced, Link digging into the vault for his favorite memories from high school, their summers together, their childhood hideouts, while Rhett remembered them as if they had only just happened. 

“Link, will you tell me more about what you remember from college? Please?”

Link looked at his hands skeptically, knowing there were a thousand safer stories about growing up, but Rhett’s eyes bore into him, pleading. 

“That’s what it feels like, Link. You look different, but I feel like we’re in college. I feel like you should be telling me I’m distracting you from studying. Or like I should be asking the guys who’s hosting the next party. Or at least like I should be pretending to study while we lock ourselves in and play video games.”

“Okay. Okay.” Link squeezed Rhett’s arm again, signaling he would tell the stories if Rhett wanted to hear them. “What kinda stories do you want to hear?” 

Rhett searched Link’s face for a moment before responding. “Whichever ones you want to tell.” 

“Hmm.” Link spoke carefully, trying not to enter any territory that could upset Rhett. As they had been speaking today, his heart rate monitor had kept a steady pace, and for the first time in a week, his face wasn’t lined with dread. He still had moments of confusion, Link could see them in his face as he nodded without comprehending. 

“Well, gosh, brother. College was a blur. We moved away from home together. Somehow your dad convinced us to be engineers.” 

Rhett grinned and shook his head. “He just thinks he’s looking out for us.”

“I know, man. It all worked out okay. But just so you know, we both hated our engineering jobs.”

Rhett hummed, nodding along as he pulled more information out of Link about their college years. Link talked about their shared dorms and apartments, about the trips they’d gone on together, and about how they had continued making comedic videos.

“And through it all we were still best friends, Rhett. Making videos and making each other laugh. We still are.” Link smiled down at him, but found a look of confusion on Rhett’s face again. 

“And? After that we graduated from college, right?”

“Well yes…”

“And then we got married?” 

Link smiled, relieved. This was good. Maybe this had been helping after all. Maybe Rhett was finally starting to remember. He seemed calm.

“That’s right, Rhett.”

As Rhett stared into the light blue eyes gazing down at him, the confusion from moments before was replaced in his own by sorrow.

“Well then why haven’t you kissed me yet, bo?”

Link’s chest clenched at the term, his face falling into a despairing frown.

“Rhett, that’s not --”

“C'mere.” Rhett reached out, rearranging the IV and heart monitor and taking Link’s hand in his, pulling it to his chest.

With his shaking free hand, Link grazed a thumb against the injured man’s warm forehead. “Rhett, what do you remember?”

Confusion returned to the grey-blue eyes. “I remember you…I remember I love you.”

Link felt his heart hit the floor. “Oh Rhett…”

How had he messed this up so thoroughly? The doctors thought he would help. _You’ve been friends for so long. Tell him about growing up together. It should be reassuring._  


They couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Rhett…oh god, I’m sorry…we aren’t married to each other.”

A tear slipped from Rhett’s pained and bewildered eyes. “Oh.”

Link’s thumb caught the tear as it fell, and he softly wiped it away as he leaned forward to kiss Rhett’s forehead.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, Rhett. I swear I didn’t know that’s what you thought.”

Rhett shifted himself over and urged Link up onto the hospital bed next to him. Lying on his side, Link’s slender body fit there against him, one hand in Rhett’s and one dancing the pads of its fingers across Rhett’s forehead and temples. The bed was warm where Rhett’s body had been, and Link closed his eyes against the sensation of a combined wave of comfort and nausea that washed over him.

“Link, I really thought… I kept waiting for the good part of the story.”

Link found he couldn’t avoid the other man’s insistent eyes. But he traced his thumb nervously across Rhett’s left hand over the pale skin where his wedding ring had been for over fifteen years. 

“Rhett, we never…you didn’t...love me. Not like that.”

“I did.” Rhett’s voice was just a whisper now. Neither of them were joking anymore. “I _do_. And we did. Or at least it’s what I remember. To me it feels like it was just yesterday.”

Link winced as Rhett went on, the words hitting him with more potency than any weapon could have. “Don’t you remember kissin’ me?”

Rhett turned his head into Link’s palm as it flattened against his cheek. Link prayed for this moment to continue forever, to let him remain silent as he comforted Rhett. As Rhett confessed to loving him. _If I have to talk, I’ll die. Please just let me stay here like this._

But Rhett’s eyes opened again, and they were trained on Link’s. They begged for the truth. For an admission. 

“Please tell me I didn’t make this up, Link. It feels so real. It feels like the only thing that’s real.”

For a moment, the thought crossed Link’s mind that he was glad it was Rhett, and not him, wearing the heart monitor. He grasped Rhett’s hand firmly, heedless to wires and steadily beeping machines around them. 

“Of course I remember kissing you, Rhett. Of course I do.” Link closed his eyes, unable any longer to take the loving gaze Rhett continued to gift him even now. “You just remember one?”

Link looked up again as Rhett’s eyes went wide. He nodded and squeezed back at Link’s hand, urging him to go on. 

“God, Rhett. I thought… after that first night, when I kissed you, we didn’t talk much for a little while. For nearly a month I thought you regretted kissing me back and needed your space. And I didn’t know how much of college you remembered…”

Link’s fingers moved softly, collecting tears as they slid down Rhett’s cheeks toward his ears. 

“You told me, back then you told me, anyway, that you didn’t mind kissing me. That it had to be a secret. That we could be together, but just at home.” 

“Link…”

“It’s okay, Rhett, don’t cry, please.” Link spoke hurriedly now. “I don’t want to hurt you. That’s just. It’s just how it was then.”

“And I never…?”

“You treated me like you loved me, Rhett. That’s what’s important. You didn’t tell me -- No! No, it’s okay, please.” Rhett’s composure was gone now. He couldn’t conjure the memory consciously, but he could feel it in his chest as his heart sank. He’d pushed Link away. He’d broken his heart. But he couldn’t remember any of it. And he couldn’t help but wonder, if he were able to remember, whether or not this would be his story. Whether he would blame himself as much as he did right now.

“It was good while it lasted, Rhett.” Link released Rhett’s hand to wipe the tears from his own eyes. When he’d returned his hand to Rhett’s chest and taken a steadying breath, he continued. “It went on for a while. And then we had a big talk before you left for a semester abroad. That’s when we ended it.”

“I’m sorry, Link. My god.”

“Don’t. Please don’t apologize, Rhett.” Link shook his head, pressing gently at Rhett’s furrowed brow. “When you came home, I had a girlfriend. Christy, my wife.”

“And that’s --?”

“Yeah. That’s what really closed the door on...all of that.”

They lay quietly for a long while, Link resting his head on his own arm, both of them listening as their breathing began to sync and normalize.

Link finally spoke again. “But we’re still friends, Rhett. Really. Best friends. Do you want me to tell you about life in 2017?”

The injured man nodded, and Link went on. “We have a successful business making videos for the internet. Can you believe that?”

Rhett smiled and wiped at his eyes. “We’re doing great things together?”

“We are, Rhett. Our dreams are all coming true.”

“And we’re married... To other people.” Rhett looked through his eyelashes at Link.

“You’re married to a beautiful woman, Rhett. She is really short, though.” Link smiled broadly and hooked his fingers delicately behind Rhett’s ear. “And you have two incredible sons. But you named them both Charles Lincoln, so that was kind of weird.”

Rhett laughed, his body shaking under Link’s hand. “No, no,” Link grinned, Rhett’s infectious laugh pushing away the painful memories. “Locke and Shepherd are the real loves of your life, Rhett. We’re dads, and it’s our favorite thing. We have loved it more than anything in the world. The boys made you complete, Rhett. You’ve told me that a million times over the last fourteen years.”

“They sound awesome,” Rhett smiled broadly.

“They are, man. And Rhett, Jessie, your wife, she’s an amazing woman. You’ll have no trouble falling for her again if it comes to that, I promise. You loved her so much. If this is forever, if your memories don’t come back, I know you’ll love her again. I watched you do it once.”

“Will you tell me about it?”

“Of course I will, brother. I’ll tell you about all of it.”

“I’m glad you were there for all of it.”

“Me too, bo. And I always will be.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to know your thoughts! Any kudos and comments are much appreciated! <3
> 
> And come find me on Tumblr as [clemwasjustagirl](http://clemwasjustagirl.tumblr.com/) if you're into that kind of thing.


End file.
